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Nestlé and First Milk announce Partnership for the milk supplies of Kit Kat and Nescafé

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Nestlé has confirmed First Milk, the British farmer owned dairy company, as its long-term dedicated supplier of fresh milk in the UK for the Kit Kat and Nescafé brands.

In 2010, a dedicated group of First Milk farmers was set around Nestlé's site at Girvan in Ayrshire, the partnership will now be expanded with a farmer supply group now set up around Nestlé's Dalston site in Cumbria from July 2014.

Nestle partners with First Milk
First Milk Farmers: Farmers visit Nestlé Girvan

Supplying farmers will be included in the Nestlé First Milk Sustainability Partnership, with all parties committed to benefit the whole supply chain and the environment through:

• Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
• Improve the proportion of milk which comes from forage
• Developing on-farm biodiversity work
 
The partnership will involve First Milk Farmers who supply Nestlé to develop a more sustainable, and efficient supply chain that has a reduced environmental impact. 

The partnership is a “win–win” milk supply chain partnership Brett Whitfield, Head of Procurement, Nestlé UK & Ireland

The milk for Nestlé Girvan comes from First Milk farms, all from within a 50 miles radius.   The milk is made into chocolate crumb*, a key ingredient in the production of Nestlé’s chocolate in the UK and Ireland.  In Girvan, the 65 farmers have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 5.7%**.  In addition, six of the farmers have now committed over 60 acres of land to develop biodiversity programmes. This follows the lead of Nestlé UK & Ireland to plant wildflower meadows on all its sites to attract butterflies and other species.

From July farmers who supply milk to Nestlé Dalston will join the partnership. The site is home to products such as Café Menu sachet products such as hot chocolate and cappuccinos.

Nestle partners with First Milk
First Milk Farmers: Partnership with Nestlé benefits farmers

Fraser Brown, Sales Director, First Milk said:

“The partnership with Nestlé benefits our farmers, the local communities around Girvan, Dalston and the wider environment.  Nestlé’s commitment to a relationship built on the foundations of a short sustainable supply chain is a vision which First Milk and its British farmer owners fully share.

“The progress which has been made on resource efficiencies, carbon reduction and biodiversity meadows has only been possible as a result of the unique way in which this partnership works.”

Brett Whitfield, Head of Procurement, Nestlé UK & Ireland said:

“The partnership is a “win–win” milk supply chain partnership. Working alongside First Milk and its farmers our supply chain will be more sustainable, more efficient and have a reduced environmental impact. Nestlé has the scale to positively impact on the lives of our suppliers and their communities due to the intake of milk into the Girvan and Dalston site.”

ENDS

For further information, contact Nestlé Press Office 020 8667 6005
[email protected]

• First Milk members have to be accredited to Red Tractor Dairy Farm Assurance Standards
• First Milk members whose milk is used to supply Nestlé are paid using a competitive milk price schedule which rewards them for helping to create a more sustainable supply chain, with the schedule being based on incentivising milk constituents.

*Chocolate crumb is milk that has been condensed and dried and added with sugar and cocoa mass.  It is then transported to York and added to cocoa and cocoa butter to make milk chocolate.  The recipes will vary dependent on the intended chocolate product.

** The figures were calculated by The E-CO2 Project, which provides detailed energy and carbon assessments for farms, using a carbon footprint calculator accredited by the Carbon Trust.

About First Milk

First Milk is the UK’s only major dairy company, 100% owned by British farmers.  It supplies a wide range of dairy products and dairy ingredients to customers in both national and international markets including block cheeses, soft cheeses, raw milk, butter, skimmed milk powder, whey proteins and sports nutrition brands.

It is headquartered in Glasgow with seven manufacturing sites across England, Scotland and Wales.

First Milk’s aspiration is to provide consumers with great-tasting nutritious food, while delivering value for every part of its farmers’ milk. As a business with a passion for innovation and sustainability, it is constantly seeking fresh ways of working with partners across the supply chain to drive pioneering solutions.

For further information on First Milk, please visit www.firstmilk.co.uk or follow the company on Twitter @first_milk and YouTube www.youtube.co.uk/firstmilk1